Abu Ghraib Trial

The following is an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government:

A U.S. soldier has been found guilty of charges related to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners of war at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad. A ten-person jury composed of officers and enlisted personnel took five-hours to convict Army Specialist Charles Graner of dereliction of duty, conspiracy, assault, and indecent acts. He was sentenced to ten-years in jail. Three other prison guards are also facing courts-martial.

U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher says that the U.S. does not endorse ill treatment of prisoners:

"The United States has made it clear, and we are making clear through the prosecutions that are taking place and the reports that we ourselves have issued, through the information that we ourselves have put out, and through the policy statements that the president, the secretary [of state], and others have made, that we don't condone torture of prisoners, we don't condone abuse of prisoners, and that where we find it, we will expose it and we will punish it."

The initial investigation into the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib began on January 14th, 2004, the day after a U.S. soldier went to officials to report what he had seen. A separate investigation was started to look into the procedures followed at Abu Ghraib. The U.S. army also launched an investigation into what the U.S. Army's inspector general's office described as "detention operations around the world," to ensure that humane policies are followed.

President George W. Bush says no one is above the law:

"That is what we do in America. We fully investigate. We let everybody see the results of the investigation, and then people will be held to account."

Mr. Bush says he shares "a deep disgust that those [Iraqi] prisoners were treated the way they were treated. Their treatment does not reflect the nature of the American people."

Reflecting the Views of the U.S. Government as Broadcast on The Voice of America